Program: Unknown
by WonderlandStar
Summary: Elsword, AKA Infinity, was your average junior who's working to pay for his hospital-bound sister, Elesis. But one day a strange text message appears, asking him: "Yes or No?", but what does that even mean? His answer will be determining his fate: a destined meeting with the Code Battle Seraph and a mysterious game where he will fight for his life. ElsXEve with other side pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Program: Unknown**

**- Chapter One -  
**  
"No."

"C'mon, Infinity. You need a break from all that working."

"Nah. Don't worry about it, Pally." I shoved my books into my locker, forcing it to close before they could drop out. The bell rang again, indirectly telling all the humans in the building to get the freak out of this jail hole.

"'Sides," I continued, "Going anywhere equals money and I don't have any."

"The only thing that you wouldn't need to worry about would be your grades after you're _dead_ from overworking..." he muttered, following me as I headed toward the school doors.

Chung Seiker, AKA Pally, was your average happy-go-lucky peace-loving hippie. His long blond hair, bright sapphire-blue eyes, and delicate, almost feminine features, was the envy of many girls. Because of his inhuman strength and kind personality, he was popular with both guys and girls.

"Two weeks ago, you were busy. Last week, you were-"

I sighed. He makes it sound like I want to work every day. Who in their right mind would want to work? I don't want to work either, but there wasn't really a choice for me.

"This week, you're-"

Ignoring Pally's nonstop muttering, I pushed open the doors and walked out.

"Pally, for the love that is in all El, shut up."

"Infinity..." Puppy dog eyes. Really huge puppy dog eyes.

I looked the other way. No, I'm not falling for this. Not falling for it. Not... falling for it.

"...Fine." Skipping one day of work wouldn't hurt right?

"Yes!" Pally grinned, pumping his fist up in victory. Slinging an arm around my shoulder, he began dragging me - knowing him for years- toward the nearest manga store.

* * *

The manga store was usually very busy and it would take forever to even squeeze through the glass doors.

Usually.

Today was an exception. An exception that I will gladly be in since I was the one who was being dragged here.  
As soon as we walked through, Pally immediately bounded over to the girl at the counter.

"Ara!" She turned at his call, her face shyly lit up when she saw who it was.

"S-Seiker."

Shoving me in front of her, he grinned broadly.

"Ara, this was the guy I was talking about." Pally gestures at me excitingly. "This is Elsword, but he likes to be called Infinity!"

"H-hello!" she squeaked, bowing hurriedly. "It's n-nice to m-meet you!"

_Jeez. Was I that scary? About the answer to that question, let's see..._

When most people see me, their first thought would be to ask if I was in a gang. No, I'm not. My eyes are naturally crimson red and so was my spiky, fiery red hair. Okay, I might've dyed parts of it jet-black. But it really doesn't help my cause when I like to wear leather jackets and pants.

"Yeah, yeah, it's nice to meet you too." I shrugged and then flicked her forehead when she still hadn't moved. "Oi! Don't bow to me! It's annoying!"

"Ah! Y-yes!" Her head shot up immediately, her gold eyes wide in surprise.

Wait... Gold eyes? Was she wearing contacts or something?

"Don't worry, Infinity is a great guy once you get to know him." Pally elbowed me and mouthed, 'be nice.'

Looking from Ara to Pally, even idiots could tell there was something between them. And I wasn't an idiot.

"Che." I really don't have time for this... This chaperoning. If I couldn't go to work, then I'll go visit Elesis.

"You know what Pally? I think I'll go visit Elesis instead." I rolled my eyes at Pally's puppy dog eyes. He is a great friend and everything, but sometimes he gets a bit annoying.

As I walked away, I could hear him apologizing to Ara.

"I'm sorry about that, Infinity has a hard time trusting people."

And for a good reason, I thought bitterly, kicking a pebble into a puddle of rainwater.

The streets were busy. Shop vendors shouted out what they were selling, trying to coax in potential customers. Cars zoomed by, nearly running some people over when they sped past the red light. Pigeons squawked overhead in the sky. Trains passed by in the distance.

I kicked another pebble in frustration. I really should've just went to work. I shouldn't have listened to Pally. Money doesn't grow on trees... And I needed a lot.

Soon, I reached an all-too-familiar building. Tall and large with many rooms and windows. The hospital.

"You came to visit her again, Elsword?" Ariel, the lady at the front desk, asked as soon as I stepped through the automatic glass doors.

"Yeah."

"She is in the usual room." Ariel wrote me a visitor pass, her auburn ponytailed hair bobbling up and down as she neatly printed "Elsword Siegehart" on a sticky note and stuck it on my shirt.

"I know." The doctors never moved my sister because she was in "stable condition" or whatever.

Room 252, her room, was on the second floor. Today, instead of taking the elevator like I usually do, I used the stairs.

"Huh?" On the last step, my phone vibrated in my back pocket. I flipped it open.

**_1 NEW MESSAGE RECEIVED._  
_TIME_: 4:12 PM  
_FROM_: Unknown**

With narrowed eyes, I opened the text, hoping it wasn't a virus. This phone had cost way too much money.

**_MESSAGE OPENED_.  
_SENDER_: Unknown  
_SUBJECT_: Question  
_CONTENT_: Yes or No?**

What's this? A prank? What do they mean by yes or no? ...And why do I even care about this again?

Huh. What's the point of jokes if they aren't even funny? Pranks these days. I rolled my eyes and shoved it back into my pocket.

I now stood at front of her room, my hand resting on the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, I walked in- Only to be hit in the head with a vase.

"Ow!" Not again. She had did this last time. And the time before that... And the time before that."Elsa, stop it!"

"Not a chance." She dumped another vase on the floor, 'hmph'-ing when it only broke into two pieces. "If this keeps me preoccupied during my "wonderful stay" in this boring hospital then I'm not stopping anything."

Elsa Siegehart, AKA Elesis, was my older sister. By only 3 years, mind you. Complete with scarlet red hair and eyes that seemed to pierce your soul, her aura completely screams, "Mess with me and I'll burn you into ashes". Scary. My sister is very scary and I respect her for that.

"Yeah, I-" I jumped to the side as she picked up a large shard and threw it toward the open door. "-think I would like it better if you don't throw things at me."

"Hmph," she crossed her arms, "So, what do you want?"

_Geez. Yeah, I missed you too, Sis._

"How much longer will you have to stay here?" I hopped onto a nearby stool and propped my legs on her bed.

"Get off." Elesis smacked my feet off the mattress before heaving a sigh, slumping back into a pillow. "I don't really know. The doctors here are so fussy..."

My sister was paralyzed from the waist down. We don't know what caused it; the doctors don't either. She just woke up one day and couldn't move her legs. To be safe, the doctors told her to stay here so they can check up on her every few hours. Recently, they have found a operation to fix it, but money becomes a problem.

For me, earning money for it is pure torture. I'm juggling so many part-time jobs, I can't even count them on one hand. A cashier in the early morning, a pizza delivery boy during lunch time, a waiter at night, etc, etc.

"So I've heard from the doctor's son that you've been causing trouble in school..." she trailed off and gave me a meaningful look.

I gulped. And cursed whoever told her that. Stupid tattletales.

"Talk."

"Well you see..." I began.

So I explained very thoroughly why a certain person's head was in the toilet. The leaky toilet needed a friend. The bully needed a friend.

"...so I set them on a friendly date with each other."

I didn't get why Elsa felt the need to bonk me in the head with a vase.

Afterward, I stood outside in the lobby, not wanting to go home so early.

I wish each day could be like this. No work, no strange illness. Just me and Elesis, living our lives in peace.

My phone vibrated again.

"The hell..." It was the same message.

**_TIME_: 5:16 PM  
_MESSAGE OPENED.  
SENDER_: Unknown  
_CONTENT:_ Yes or No?**

If this was a prank, it sure was an annoying one.

What will the yes and no mean though? For some strange reason, Elesis's face popped into my mind. What if this was a cure? What if this was the government asking for my permission to give the medicine?

No, it can't be. But my fingers had the mind of their own. Before I even realized it, they had pressed the REPLY button and typed in my answer.

**_REPLY_?  
_RE-SUBJECT_: Question  
_CONTENT:_ Yes.**

My finger hovered over the SEND button. Was this really wise? No, but who cares right? My hopes were use to be being crushed.

**_MESSAGE SENT.  
TIME_: 5:20 PM  
**

* * *

The sun cast faint orange-red streaks across the sky. It was only minutes away from settling into a dark night.  
My house was about five blocks away from the hospital.

I hurried home, hopefully I'll be able to make it before the sun sets. At night, the streets were dangerous. Drug dealers, rapists, and drunkards will literally litter the streets.

A blast of wind came from behind. I shivered and pulled my leather jacket tighter around my body. It was close to spring but winter hasn't left yet.

Footsteps were heard from behind. Maybe they were just drunkards staggering back home. I snorted. Yeah right. A cautious person from previous occurrences, I ran without looking back. Being ganged up on and robbed was not on my agenda.

On the last block, I stopped, panting for breath. Running was something I wasn't too good at. I rather stand around and fight. Peering back behind my shoulder, I was relieved to find no one there.

_CRASH!_

I had took one step forward and froze, scanning everywhere around me. It was too dark to see clearly and the flickering lamp light wasn't much to go by on.

_BONG!_

My eyes snapped in that direction. It was an abandoned alleyway, close to a dumpster no one uses anymore.  
Creeping closer to check on what made that sound, I poked my head into the alley. The lamp light flicked off. No one was there.

As I turned to go, the lamp light returned, bathing the alley with a soft glow. By a strange impulse, my head turned to look back. My eyes widened.

A girl lay unmoving on the ground, propped against a trashcan bin. Her long silver hair was draped around her body, giving her a doll-like appearance.

"Oi, you okay?" I rushed over and knelt in front of her. There was no blood or injuries on her pale skin.

Taking a closer look at her, I frowned. She didn't seem like she was breathing. Wait, was... Was she dead? I panicked and grabbed her hand to check. Still warm. I breathed out in relief. She was still alive.

Softly brushing away her silver bangs, I went to check her temperature, but a blue gem was embedded there. _Ouch._ A piercing, maybe? I winced and instead shifted my fingers to measure the temperature of the skin around it. So she didn't have a fever... Then why would she collapse?

What I didn't realize back then was her reaction to my touch.

A blinding light shot out from her blue gem, wrapping around my ear.

"The hell!" I clutched my ear as it throbbed painfully. It felt like someone was stabbing it with a thousand needles.

What in the seven hells was going on?!

"CODE BATTLE SERAPH: REBOOTING SYSTEM. STATUS: ON." Her voice startled me out of my thoughts and my arm dropped. It was a loud monotone, almost exactly like a... robot.

The pain in my ear was fading, but a strange weight was now clinging to the curve. I reached up and touched onto something strange. A thin circle of cool metal was clasped on, piercing through the skin. So... I now have an ear pierce to match my apparently gang-like look?!

_No, focus, Infinity. This is not the time to think about that!_

My attention was back again on the silver-haired girl. The sapphire blue light faded and disappeared. Then her eyes opened and, before I could even blink, slapped me.

_SMACK!_

A hand smacked my cheek, leaving a stinging red mark. My head turned sideways from the force.

"HEY!" I glared at her, my hand cupping my bruised cheek. "What was that for?!"

She didn't answer. Instead, her gold eyes delved into mine as if prying into my mind. Finally, she spoke in that same robotic monotone.

"Are you my new Master?"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Yeah, I'm not dead. Just slow at updating. The next chapter for Same Yet Different is more than halfway done... But I have no clue when it'll be done XD**

**Sorry for all the OOCness.**

**Till next time~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Program: Unknown**

**- Chapter Two -**

The hell is this chick talking about?! I was definitely not her 'Master'. Whatever that means.

"What in the world—"

_SMACK!_

Another slap?!

"The fu—"

_SMACK!_ This time it was on the other cheek.

I felt a vein pop. My knuckles whitened from the pressure of not wanting to hit her.

_Calm down, Infinity. Just walk away and leave this weirdo behind..._

I stood and started walking away. Hey, I wasn't a cruel person, but if you try to help someone and that someone slaps you multiple times, you wouldn't be too happy either right?

"Where are we headed?" Her robotic tone snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Home." I mumbled without thinking.

_Wait a second._ I spun around lightening fast.

"Why are you following me?" I demanded.

"You are my Master. Therefore, I will follow you."

"How do you even know I'm your 'Master'?" I put air quotes around that word to emphasize my disbelief.

"You have my symbol on you."

She was talking in riddles. Or maybe it was a different language. It would explain her hair color and style. And... Her clothes. If you even call it that. Looks a lot like a flashy swim suit complete with long white gloves and boots. She was showing skin, a lot of it.

"Why are you staring at me?"

I flushed tomato in embarrassment and resisted the urge to bang my head against the alley wall. Barely.

Speaking of that... Maybe she hit her head on the trashcan or something... Either that or she came from another world. I'm hoping it's the former because the latter made no sense. At all.

Stopping in front of my house, I internally debated whether or not to let her in. Sure she was a bit crazy, but was I just going to leave her out with a bunch of rapists on the loose?

With a sigh, I unlocked the door and kicked it open.

"Welcome." I rolled my eyes. Yeah, go ahead and invite a total stranger into your house. Didn't Sis say not to talk to strangers when I was little? Yet, here I am. "You can stay here for now." _Until that concussion goes away._

She stopped following me and was now surveying the room. A couch. A glass table. And a cable TV. My house wasn't very big but it was comfortable enough. With a nod, she spoke again.

"This house has passed my standards."

_Wait, wait._ I offered her a place to stay and this was her reaction? Where is her 'thanks so much, I've don't know what I would have done if you weren't with me' gratitude?

"Where is my room?" She turned to me, waiting expectantly for my response. Following my gaze to the couch, she scowled, the weird blue marks on her cheekbones thinning. "I refuse to sleep there."

I exploded.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Some freaking princess?! Stop being such a spoiled brat!"

Somehow, I didn't get slapped. She only blinked and walked to my kitchen, coming back with a tea set.  
"Currently I am only a Battle Unit, but since I am one out of ten, it is not that important." She sat down on the couch and poured herself some tea then offered me a cup. I numbly accepted the cup and sat down beside her.  
"And yes, I am indeed a princess," she took a sip of tea, "But I much rather be called 'Queen'."

"..." I knew my jaw was hanging open, but I couldn't close it. Who cares if I looked like a dying fish? Was all this true? What... just happened?

"Any more questions before I get to see my room?"

"What," I finally got out, "Is your name?" Better start off with a easy question.

"My name is Eve, Battle Unit #03: Code Battle Seraph."

"Oh." I have no clue what she said except her name. "So Eve... Why do you call me 'Master'?"

"It is because you are." I rolled my eyes. _Wow, talk about obvious._ She seemed to sense my poorly disguised disbelief and asked, "Do you not know my code symbol is on your ear?"

My hand automatically reached up and touched the thin band of metal. That earring I got from the alley! Symbol, symbol... My hand grasped for it trying to figure out what was engraved there. After a minute, I gave up. Forget it. I ran for the bathroom, skidding to a stop in front of the mirror.

First thing I saw? Handprints on both of my cheeks. Eve must have slapped me so hard; I couldn't even feel my face, which explains why it felt so numb.

Tilting my head sideways to see my pierced ear better, I caught sight of the symbol Eve had been talking about.

Engraved onto the silver band were three small hexagons joined together at two intersections of the sides. It looked almost like that Pokémon called 'Combee'. Except for one thing: it glowed. Pulsing pink light came from it, brightening up my dim bathroom.

"That is an indicator of my current status." Startled, I nearly face-planted myself into the mirror. Grabbing onto the sink, I glared at Eve, who merely raised an eyebrow.

"The middle one is my HP status. If I die or get hurt, you will know immediately. The one on the left represents the energy I need to have to use skills, and the last hexagon is for awakening purposes only," she continued, "In conclusion, that symbol is our bond." She turned to me with a bored expression. "Did that answer your question?"

I really have no clue what she was talking about. To be honest, I'm starting to feel like she came from Mars. Would she slap me if I ask her if there are really a colony of aliens living up there?

"Master?"

I winced. Her calling me 'Master' certainly didn't give me the warm fuzzes. Huh, how weird. Wouldn't most guys want girls to call them that?

"Just- just call me Infinity alright?" I motioned her to follow me. "I don't like being called—" I grimaced. "—Master."

"As you wish." Her long silver hair trailed behind her as she walked beside me. I snuck a quick glance at her and frowned when I remembered her eye color.

Gold. _Just like Ara's..._

Because I didn't look away fast enough, she paused in walking. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Are gold contacts popular these days or something?" I muttered under my breath. First Ara, and now her?

Unfortunately, she heard me and tried to slap me again. But this time I managed to duck.

"For future references," Eve, who had frowned when she missed, instead smacked the back of my head when I straightened.

"Hey!"

"—All Battle Units have gold eyes."

_All Battle Units?_

For some strange reason on that fateful day, my mind had immediately flashed back and remembered Ara's bright dandelion-yellow orbs.

_She couldn't be..._

_She couldn't be a... A Battle Unit too, right? Whatever that means._

"Eve, I think I know someone with gold eyes." The effect of those words surprised me a little. From what I've judged about Eve so far was that she was a very calm person by nature. Except when she slaps me, of course. I had expected her to cross her arms and impatiently tap her foot for trying to distract her, but she didn't. Instead, her breath hitched and her eyes narrowed.

"They already sent in a competitor?" She paced around the floor twice then stopped. Her fist closed and reopened. Bright lights of electricity sparkled across her palm.

I leaned in closer to better see what freaky magic trick she was doing, but she gave me a 'stay away or die' glare.

"Did they hurt you or anyone else?"

"No, no." _Why was she even reacting like this?_ Ara didn't do anything wrong. Eve was making her sound like a terrorist. I had to roll my eyes at that thought. The stuttering girl in the shop? She seemed to be a "cereal" killer rather than a serial killer.

"She's a good friend of Pally's and—"

"What did she look like?" Eve interrupted.

"Long black hair... And it was parted into two sections... I think girls call it pigtails. Oh! And a really long white pin was placed in there too."

She was quiet now and her shoulders seemed to sag a bit. Biting her lip, she leaned against the wall, resting her head against it.

"Eun..." I heard her whisper, "Battle Unit #09, why must we have to face each other so soon?"

I didn't know what to think after that, but a certain question kept popping up in my mind.

_Did Eve know Ara?_

* * *

"This is my room." I wearily pointed to my door, which was kind of hanging on its hinges. "Don't go in it without asking me."

Trudging on toward the last door, I glanced back behind me toward Eve. She had been eerily quiet after I had told her about Ara. Which fueled my suspicions that I was right.

Eve did know Ara. And from the way she talked, I could tell it was deeper than normal friends. Best friends maybe?

"This..." I stopped directly in front of the door. "This is Sis's room." _This room..._

She waited for me to continue on, her head tilted in confusion when I didn't.

In response, I closed my eyes and pushed open the door which I hadn't did for months. Ever since Elesis went to the hospital, this room was untouched. I couldn't bear to open it.

Opening my eyes, I took in the view. It looked exactly the same, save for a ton of cobwebs and a thick layer of dust. A unmade bed on the right covered in crimson sheets and bedspreads. A fan hung from the ceiling. A small dresser piled with her clothes haphazardly. A mirror propped against the wall. And tons of posters of her favorite singers thumb-tacked wherever there was space.

"Why are we here?" she inquired.

"This is your room for now." Aren't I a nice person? For giving Sis's room to her, I should be awarded a certificate or something.

_SMACK!_

Which is why I wonder why Eve slapped me.

"I refuse to sleep in a _pigsty!_ A Queen such as I require quality. Not a room full of dust and cobwebs!"

"What do you want me to do then?" I shot back. "Give you my room?"

"If it is better than this, then yes."

Oh, crap. _Why me?_ My answer had been a rhetorical question. _Good grief, I hate them._

* * *

I ended up sleeping on the couch while Eve took over my room, locking the door so that I couldn't sneak back in and throw her out.

I sulked as I tried to turn around but landed on the floor. _Ow._ The couch wasn't big enough for me to be comfortable. Which was why I was silently cursing Eve in my head.

"Stupid, _spoiled_ princess..." I muttered aloud.

"Who are you calling _that_?"

"Eve, of course."

"Oh~, is your Battle Unit giving you trouble?"

"Yeah, she just..." I trailed off as I realized I had no idea who I was talking to. In a flash, I jumped off the couch and flipped on the lights.

There stood a cheery girl who wore her violet hair in pigtails. Her amethyst eyes stared at me who stared at her before she self-consciously waved her heart-shaped staff -wand?- at me.

"What? Something wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong." _Yeah, right. Try everything._ I stumbled back to the couch and kneaded my forehead. By now, I was too tried to even react to this strange development. First Eve, now this. I'm not even going to ask how she got in here. To be honest, I don't think I can even be surprised anymore.

Dressed in a long white blouse and a purple miniskirt, she twirled around my living room, throwing glitter everywhere and waving that childish wand around.

"Get out." I was in no shape to be polite. Not that I ever was. "Now." Pointing toward the door, I tapped my foot.

"But Aisha wants to stay!" she stomped her foot. Wow, people actually do that? "And Master asked me to deliver your invite! So bleh~!" She even had the nerve to stick her tongue out at me.

"Invite? As in a _invitation?_ To where?" I wonder who her 'Master' was. Was she a Battle Unit too? But didn't Eve say that they have gold eyes? I glanced again at her eyes.

Lilac. _Nowhere near gold._

"To your first battle of course! Silly~!" she giggled. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out an envelope and dropped it on my lap. "Here you go!"

"My first battle?" _Uh, what?_

"Yep! But it won't be the first for the other team, so rest up." She frowned as she glanced at her watch. "My time here is almost up now. Gotta go referee the next battle."

"Wait!" I reached out to grab her shoulder, but she quickly moved out of the way, making me stumble. Stopping myself from falling, I demanded. "Explain some things to me before you go."

"You'll figure it out. We'll met again soon after all." A huge hole started to form on my wall. _So that's how she got in here._ "Cha-cha, Infinity~!"

With that said she leaped into the hole, though not before saying, "To the next dimension, I go!"

I could only stare as the hole -portal?- shrunk and disappeared, leaving no trace of the crazy girl behind.

I sighed and picked up the envelope from where it fell. If it wasn't for the letter and the fact that my creativity was near zero, I would've thought my imagination went into an overdrive.

As it was, my heart thumped loudly when the first thing I read on the front was:

**_TO MR. INFINITY SIEGEHART:_**** ENCLOSED IS YOUR BATTLE INFORMATION.  
****_P.S._**** YOU MIGHT NEED TO MAKE FUNERAL PREPARATIONS, IN CASE OF YOUR DEFEAT IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.**

_Oh my El, what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

**_A/N: Miss me? XD_**

**_I'll try to update every once a week. But I can't promise it for next week. After all, exams are needed to be stressed over, right? :D BTW, do you guys need me to write the classes or is it obvious?_**

**_I want to say so many thank you(s) to my reviewers, followers, and favoriters (is that even a word?)!_**

**_Till next time~_**

**_Replies To My Reviewers:_**

**_JinRockKaien__- Why thank you for the review and follow! I ship both ElsXAi and ElsXEve but I prefer the latter. Since there has been an increase of AddXEve these days, I had to fight against it somehow, right? XD Was this soon enough? ^^ __  
_**

**_Crystal-Star-Princess14__- Lol, are you counting down the time until the update? Sure, I'll go PM you! *minutes later* Done! Sorry it wasn't the day after. Thanks for reviewing~__  
_**

**_OMEGA ZX 420__- Nobody came up with this idea before? Yes, that's certainly odd XD I thought mine would just another cliche within this archive. No worries, making it short still got the support across. Thanks so much~ Is this soon enough? :D_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Program: Unknown**  
**- Chapter Three -**

**Saturday, 3:45 A.M.**

A silver-haired man stood in his laboratory, flipping page after page on his clipboard.

"No, no..." he muttered, increasing his pace. "Where is it? Where is Battle Unit #03's Code?" In anger, he threw his clipboard behind him.

"Gah!" He turned his head just in time to see a pigtailed girl coming out of her portal duck as the clipboard sailed over her head harmlessly.

"Master! Why does this happen every time Aisha returns?" she pouted, crossing her arms. The portal behind her spat out a mouthful of glitter and disappeared.

"You were in my way, Aisha." He waved her off carelessly, his head never lifting from the papers in hand.  
Aisha, however, wasn't so easily deterred. It was a trait that he was both grateful and irritated with. Right now, it was leaning on the annoyed side.

"...Like Infinity Siegehart was so funny~! That face he made when I handed him the invite-"

"Who is he the Master of?" The scientist asked without much interest, idly flipping through his lab reports and experiments. Listening to his Battle Unit ramble on was something he rarely did.

"Eve, Code Battle Seraph: Battle Unit #03."

He froze, the clipboard falling from his hands. Could it be? A mistake? He never makes mistakes! His very first creation, Battle Unit #03, was not supposed to be paired with Elsword Siegehart.

It was supposed to be Elsa Siegehart, Elsword's sister.

He clenched his fist before letting out a dark chuckle. If fate was trying to play around with him, then he will crush them also.

After all, he was the one who created most of the Battle Units.

He was Add, the MasterMind. And he wanted the most powerful Code of all.

The Infinite Code will be his, no doubt about it.

* * *

Being electrocuted awake was not the best way to wake up. Trust me, it's way too painful.

"Gahhh!" I scrambled, trying to get away from her. Only when I succeeded falling flat on the floor did she stop. "The hell, Eve!"

I glared at her and through my half-lidded eyes, I saw her walk off toward the kitchen while flipping her silver hair in disdain.

"You refused to wake up," was all she said. Of course she wouldn't apologize. _What was I expecting?_

Prying my eyes open, I glanced at the ancient grandfather clock. _Today was Saturday, wasn't it?_

8:49 A.M.

I stretched, grabbed the letter I didn't read last night, and slouched toward the kitchen. Last night's memory washed over me, replaying over and over in my mind.

_Who in the heck was that girl?_

"Eve," I grumbled, plopping myself into a seat, "You have some explaining to do."

She raised an eyebrow and poured herself another cup of tea. "Very well." A sip of tea. "Though..." She nodded toward the envelope in my clenched fist. "May I first inquire when you received that letter?"

"This?" I threw the offending object smack on the table. "This is something a crazy girl gave me last night. I think her name was... Her name was..." _C'mon brain. Remember, remember._ "Her name was Aisha!"

_SMASH!_ Her hands had loosened and the teacup fell, the pieces scattering around her.

"Eve!" I leaped to my feet and started picking up the pieces. Luckily, cleaning after my bored-to-death sister had given me enough practice so that I wouldn't get cut.

_Yeah, thanks so much Sis._

After throwing them in the trash, I reached over Eve's shoulder and checked for any injuries. "Are you okay?"

"Read the letter." She waved me off, shooing me away like a fly.

"Okay, okay." _Geez, it's just a invite._ I rolled my eyes. What was she so insistent on? Flipping it over, I couldn't help but be a hypocrite as I winced, rereading the last sentence in the front.

**P.S. YOU MIGHT NEED TO MAKE FUNERAL PREPARATIONS, IN CASE OF YOUR DEFEAT.**

_Okay, I still think the funeral statement was a bit of an overkill._

Opening the envelope, a heavy dose of confetti and glitter spilled onto the floor along with a cream colored piece of parchment and a scarlet red card. I cautiously picked up the surprisingly heavy card and parchment, shaking off the "extra baggage" -which I think a certain wacky girl had left behind on purpose- and causing Eve to scowl.

"You are quite slow."

In response, I nodded my head at the accumulating glitter pile and proceeded to ignore her as I unfurled the parchment and started reading aloud.

**"TO:** Elsa "Elesis" Siegehart..." I squinted to see through the dark lines drawn through it. As soon as I registered what I just read, my eyes automatically narrowed in suspicion.

It was for _Elsa_? But then why is her name scratched out? What if... A horrible thought formed in my head. What if all this was a prank played by Sis?

Eve cleared her throat. "I believe they did not know you had a sister."

I nodded absentmindedly. Yeah, that must be it. Elesis loves to play jokes on me, but this whole concept of "Battle Units" was way out of her league... And creativity.

Clearing my throat, I continued reading from the line underneath it.

"**TO:** Elsword "Infinity" Siegehart

**FROM:** MasterMind

**CONTENT:** I suppose you think all this is a prank from what you have heard and seen. In this very invite, I can guarantee you it is not. By now, you more than likely have received your Battle Unit. Why? The reason you have gotten one was because of your response. Either by mail, phone, or text, you have all answered "Yes", but did not know what for. Let me tell you now what you have signed up for: the Code Theory.

This is a fight for your Battle Unit against others. Each time you win, you will receive an unique title from each Battler. There are a total of ten Battlers, you will need to receive nine titles. A fair warning beforehand though, if you happen to kill the other opponent, every team will receive the very same title you battled for.

As all competitions go, there will be an award and prize. The very first person who receives nine titles will be awarded any amount of cash they want. In addition, you can have a wish granted, but it has to be within reason.

Your Battle Card shall give you any more information if you require it. It includes your personal information, battling information, and enough cash for this week.

Thank you for your cooperation."

"..." Well, to think that all this resulted from a text message on my sister's cellphone. I glanced at Eve to see her reaction, but she seemed indifferent, just sipping her tea. She didn't look like she was worried at all even though she was going to be the one fighting.

"Did that answer any questions you may have?" Eve now stood up and walked to where I was standing.

"No," I answered bluntly. In reality, it had left more questions and not enough answers. Dropping the letter onto the table, I picked up the red card which the invite had called "Battle Card". "So..." I began poking it. "How does this thing work?"

On one side of the card, there was three glowing pink hexagons in the very center- Eve's symbol. On the other side, the card's surface appeared to take on a glass-like quality, making it look exactly like a computer screen. As soon as I brushed the surface, the card grew brighter and a hologram flickered in the air.

_**HELLO, SIEGEHART**_

Blue-tinted letters formed in the air, neatly arranging and rearranging themselves to form words.

**_HOW CAN I HELP YOU?_**

My jaw dropped. A holocaster? That's one of the most expensive technology made by the Nasod Company. How... What... What should I reply?

Eve, seeing my confusion and shock, spoke up. "Pull up his battling information."

***SYSTEM SEARCHING***  
**BATTLE INFORMATION FOUND**  
**TITLES EARNED: **0  
**TOTAL BATTLES**: 0  
**NEXT BATTLE PENDING:** 16 hours 34 minutes and 22 seconds

I suddenly remembered the time from this morning. 8:49 AM in 16 hours would be... About 1 in the morning.

"Oh fu-"

**TIME: **1:20 A.M.  
**PLACE: **TBA  
**OPPONENT (UNIT):** #09  
**OPPONENT (MASTER):** Chung Seiker

"Eun..." Eve whispered, her dandelion-yellow eyes widening a fraction of an inch. "Why you..."

But I didn't notice that. In fact, I probably wouldn't have noticed if a bomb exploded right in front of me.

C-Chung? As in_ Pally_? Bright blue eyes and an easygoing smile flashed in my mind. My best friend... He had a Battle Unit too? Almond-shaped golden eyes fleeted by in my head as I realized something. _Could his unit be Ara?_

I didn't want to fight him. He was my best friend for years. By being there when my parents died, by being there when Elesis was hospitalized, I always had depended on him for so many things both then and now.

Suddenly, I was struck by a unsettling thought. Did Chung know he was going to fight me? He never liked fighting because he was generally the peacemaker, the pacifist.

But if what Aisha said was true...

_"My first battle?"  
"Yep! But it won't be the first for the other team, so rest up."  
_

Then it wouldn't be so surprising if he didn't even care he was going to fight me, right? _Did I ever know him? The real Chung..._

But...

_"Let's always be friends ok?" A hand was offered for me to shake, a beaming face and bright eyes waiting expectantly for me to say something._  
_"Yeah, always."_

**_Always._**

Then why didn't you tell me Chung? Don't you trust me?

* * *

An hour passed.

Eve had went to Sis's room to do some "last minute upgrading". Even in my shocked I somehow had noticed her tense and stiff posture as she walked past

"You feeling okay?"

"I have no emotions," was her blunt reply.

I didn't know what to feel. Betrayed? Angry? Depressed? I felt all three, but in the end, anger won out.

A split minute decision made, I jumped to my feet, shoving my Battle Card into my back pocket.

"Eve!" I called. "I'm going to visit Chung." _And pound some sense into his brain while I'm at it._

"There is no need." Eve glided into the room with two strange floating black and white robots beside her. "Moby and Remy have informed me Battle Unit #09 is approaching us. Within seconds she shall be here. I believe her Master should be with her."

I slowly sank back into the couch. The last time I saw Pally was in the mangastore... With Ara. He knew about all of this and yet, even then and still told me to trust her, to trust him.

I don't know who to trust anymore. I just don't know.

_KNOCK, KNOCK!_

I wearily trudged to the door and opened it.

Only to have a spear pointed toward my throat. Blazing red eyes pierced mine as she snarled, fangs protruding.

"Where is he? Where is my Master?"

* * *

**A/N: Haha, late as usual. School is out, exams are over. I feel so nostalgic...**

**You guys didn't answer my question from the last chapter. Does any of you need me to type up the classes in the beginning or end of a chapter? Or is it too obvious?**

**So many reviews for one (ONE!) chapter! Dear me, I almost fell off my chair in shock ^^;;**

**Thanks to everyone for following, favoriting, and reviewing!**

**Replies to my Angels~**

**JinRockKaien- Yeah, I got converted to a ElsAi lover about few months ago. I put the blame on my frind Li. Yup, Aisha is the referee~ Though she seems to be more of a cheerleader right now :D**

**Guest: Why thank you! Glad you think so ^-^**

**MessiahofDar- Thanks, I had thought this idea might be too cliché for this archive. You know? Because Eve is a Nasod and everything... This soon enough? *shot***

**Obsucuria- Really? It's funny? Lol, nice to know someone loves my...** **pathetic attempts at humor. XD The plot isn't exactly original but I'll continue! Thanks~**

**Guest: You only like ElsXEve? Wow, that pairing is hard to find as ElsXAi fever has overtaken the FF archive.**

**Elesia- Aisha's Master? Well... I don't want to spoil it if you hadn't read the beginning of this chapter...**

**LIKEOMG: Oh, I gotta love your guest name :D Sorry I couldn't update next week. But I'm updating right now right? *hunted down and forced to write***


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